40,000 Original Miles: 1988 Mazda RX7 Convertible – Sold?

May 7, 2021 Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call Rudy directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

The FC chassis Mazda RX-7 continues to be a bit of a sleeper in the rad-era marketplace, with naturally aspirated and turbocharged cars alike generally still affordable, even in sound condition. This 40,000-mile convertible was originally listed in April 2021 on Craigslist in Long Island, New York, with documented history and the preferred OEM BBS wheels for an asking price of $11,500. Comparing this price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms this private seller has the RX-7 priced right on the money, as a “Concours” example is valued at a hefty $22,000, but an “Excellent” model drops down to a very reasonable $11,300.

The turbocharged RX-7 obviously gets all the glory, and it’s no surprise why. But every FC RX-7 came with the legendary rotary powerplant, so even if you didn’t spring for the top-shelf model, you still maintained a laser-straight connection to the first generation car that started it all. The power output was unchanged from the SA chassis, as it was still the same 13B under the hood, pumping out a respectable – but not exactly thrilling – 146 horsepower. Later naturally aspirated RX-7’s enjoyed a healthy bump to 160 horsepower, and that may be the better choice if you’re searching for a convertible. This car hails from the pre-bump era, but with low mileage and a great color combo, 14 fewer horsepower shouldn’t stop you from checking it out.

Some of the earlier FCs can look a bit dowdy on the base model alloy wheels, which did a poor job of filling out the RX-7’s wheel arches. The BBS wheel option that most convertibles were blessed with was a game-changer in the looks department, and given many RX-7 convertibles found new homes on the basis of their appearance alone, these upgraded rollers only made a sharp car sharper. This example features black over gray leather with a matching gray boot and top. The top itself appears to be in excellent shape, and previous owners apparently didn’t make a habit of leaving it parked for hours in the sun with the top down as the fragile leather surfaces are still in great shape and the dash shows no sign of cracking. Receipts are shown on the trunk lid, and the seller mentions that an original bonnet cover and car cover will be included with the sale. Good luck with the purchase if you take this low mileage FC RX-7 home!

Here’s the seller’s description:

“88 rx7 convertible, all original 1 owner car fully documented service history. Beautiful looking car in near excellent condition. 40k miles. Brand new tires. Recently serviced. Comes with the original bonnet cover and car cover. “

Do you have a Mazda RX7 story you’d like to share?  Comment below and let us know!